sugar, cream and black coffee
by thesweetsummerchilde
Summary: Lucy closed her eyes and thought she could still taste the bittersweet aftertaste of his coffee lingering on her lips. semi-AU, NaLu, almost-fluff. loosely inspired by some scenes from The Hunger Games trilogy.


**Rated: T for death, drug addiction, angst, kissing and foul language.**

 **Summary:** Lucy closed her eyes and thought she could still taste the bittersweet aftertaste of his coffee lingering on her lips. Semi-AU, NaLu, fluff. Loosely inspired by some scenes from The Hunger Games trilogy.

 **Disclaimer: What do you think? Of course I own Fairy Tail. Oh, and buffalo can actually fly too.** (Note the dripping sarcasm)

 **Author's Note:** I don't know if any of you guys have read _The Hunger Games trilogy_ , but I just have to let this out: (Spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't read/watched _Mockingjay_ here) Damn, Suzanne Collins just. killed. Finnick. Gah! I mean, sure, _The Hunger Games_ is no romantic novel, and Finnick Odair is hardly the main character, but still! He is so fun to read! _Why did you have to kill him, why_?!  
And in his last moment, Katniss even saw his entire life flashing through her eyes - Holy cheese! A hint for Finnick/Katniss couple. Awwwwww... Too bad he is dead. Anyway, I think I have some kinds of soft spots for crack ship... For example, Gray/Erza...

Ehem, that is beside the point here... What I want to say is that this oneshot bases loosely on _The Hunger Games trilogy_ here. To be specific, it comes from the Finnick/Katniss moments throughout the series...

Anyway, as usual, please read and review!

Enjoy!

* * *

The first time Lucy saw him with a cup full of black coffee, it was early in the morning, and as she sat up, her bed was empty and cold, save for the body heat the blonde radiated. Strange, Lucy was sure she saw a certain fire dragonslayer peacefully dosed off on her white mattress last night.

The celestial mage would never ever admit it, but waking up like this always make her feel so insecure and lonely.

Then there was a small sipping sound at the kitchen, and Lucy, instinctively, let out a relieved breath. A breath she hadn't known was hitched in her throat.

Natsu was sitting comfortably on the chair, holding a mug. An unmistakable smell filled her nostrils.

One delicate eyebrow quirked up.

The salmon-haired boy looked back at her:

"What?"

Lucy shrugged.

"Nothing. It just seems kind of weird that you drink something other than fire-whiskey."

"I don't live off fire, weirdo."

Her gaze bored at him questioningly, and as the dark brown liquid wavering in the ceramic cup. The liquid stared back at her daringly.

She sat down next to him.

"Well, I never really imagined you as the coffee type. It's always... bitter, to me. As least I think it is bitter."

Natsu glanced at her.

"And that is _exactly_ why sugar and cream exists."

He flashed her a cocky grin. The sharp fangs stood out, and for a moment, Lucy thought that maybe, just _maybe_ , they looked cute.

And then he called her _weirdo_ (again!), and she hit his face with the cushion.

* * *

The second time she saw that beverage in his hand, Lucy stared at it tentatively for a brief moment.

They were at the guide, and as normal, there were fighting and arguing and flying thing coming from every direction.

The old Lucy would probably be scared shitless by this sight, but the now-Lucy just shrugged, waving her hands at Mirajane and letting a small "Hey Natsu" reverberated in his eardrums.

Casually, she slipped down at the place next to him.

"One milkshake, please!"

Mirajane beamed.

"Coming!"

And then she spotted that drink again. It was a lighter scent than the one at her apartment, blended in with the smell of smoke and sweat and heat, but the same nonetheless.

"Why are you sitting here?"

He grunted at her some kinds of words.

She thought it meant "Gray is out on a date with Juvia."

Or maybe that was "Hey, let's prank Happy with the fishes!"

Lucy decided to interpret it by the first meaning.

"So... why don't you challenge, I don't know, Erza?"

"Cheesecake."

"Laxus?"

"Already busy sucking face with Mirajane."

Lucy gasped.

No wonder why Natsu is here sulking...

There was a comfortable silence falling between them, until her curiosity got the better of Lucy.

"Natsu?"

Said boy gave her a questioning look.

"Why do you drink coffee?"

"Don't know. It tastes good?"

The silence was becoming tense.

"You think?"

"Uh huh. You are weird, Luce."

It was suffocating. Her brown eyes stared at him, determination boiling under the surface. _There much be a deeper reason for this sudden liking_.

"Want some?"

Lucy shook her head, the blond strands flapping lightly in the air, falling in a disarray.

"I already said I don't like coffee."

His long, calloused fingers naturally found their way to her hair, tucking some golden locks behind her ears.

Her face heated up.

Cold fingertips gently caressed the shell of her ears, trailing down her jaws, following the short stands as they draped on her clothed shoulder blade.

Hot breath fanning on her skin, and she found herself breathless at the feathery touch of the wind on her lips.

Natsu grinned.

"You can always eat the sugar and ditch that coffee if you like."

The distance between their face was down to centimeters.

"Want a sugar cube?"

Lacy had to remind herself that this was her childish partner and not in the boys-I-want-to-jump list.

* * *

The third time was a surprise.

She was at her house, changing in her blue nightgown when Natsu barged in her room.

His eyes widened, metal gray pupils almost disappeared in the irises. Sweat dampened some large spots on his white shirt, and Natsu had to prop himself up on his elbows to keep standing.

He looked _scared_.

Her name, a breath, almost blended in his panting, and Lucy startled.

"Luce?"

His voice, dripped with fear...

 _What in the world could possibly make him **this** terrified_?

"Natsu? What-"

His arms reached out, pulling her closer, until Lucy was standing there, engulfed by his warmth and drowned by his emotion.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his nose dug in the soft skin, inhaling her citrus scent.

Long calloused fingers tangled themselves in her golden hair, her name a mantra chanted on his lips.

"Luce, Luce, Luce..."

She could smell the strong scent of black coffee radiating and mingling with his body heat, that somehow softened her eyes.

"I'm here..."

It was only the next day that Lucy found out about the assassin, hired to steal the golden keys, as well as the two murders happened to two celestial spirit mages that night.

* * *

The fourth time, she was addicted to black coffee.

He held the mug in front of her face, grinning enthusiastically:

"Oh come on Luce! You gotta try this! It's _amazing_!"

In response, she wrinkled her nose in distaste:

"It is bitter, unhealthy, it keeps people sleepless and hazy. It does more harms than goods. So yeah, I think I'll pass."

The dragonslayer whined:

"But _everyone_ loves coffee! And it tastes good!"

"Not everyone, Natsu."

And she looked down at her book, continuing at where she'd just read.

"Luuuuucccceeeeeee..."

"Drink your coffee, Natsu."

"Luuuuuuuuuuuuucccccceeeeeeeeeeeee..."

Death glare.

He cowered.

Lucy enjoyed the silence, for one minute, before Natsu started tugging at her hand _again_.

Her head snapped up in utter annoyance:

"For the last time, Natsu, I am not goin-mphmmmmmmmmmm..."

Brown eyes met with gray ones only for a mere second, and her plump lips were immediately pressured by his. His lips were thin, utterly soft, and above all, it tasted sweet - almost like marshmallow, and Lucy briefly remembered that Natsu used the same mouth to yell curses and say all the silly things. The kiss was gentle and urging. It was Natsu: passionate and desperate and _addicting_ , and instinctively, her hand fell down to her lap, the book long forgotten.

Long, slender fingers somehow found their way up in his soft hair. His tongue brushed over her lips, and she was just all too eager to grant him the entrance he wanted.

Somewhere at the back of her mind, she could hardly acknowledge Mira smiling ear to ear, and the whole guide going unusually silent, staring at him with bewildered look.

His smug smirk pressed flush against her mouth, a warmth liquid seeped in.

The blonde hazily swallowed it. Hot, bitter taste lingered on her tongue, but at the same time, it was fluffy and sweet and _heavenly_.

Lucy wanted more.

The pinkette grinned at her triumphantly:

"Now, it wasn't too hard, was it?"

Her cheeks were set aflame.

* * *

The fifth time was simply sorrow.

He was in front of her.

The blow had thrown them backward, no doubt, but Natsu was the one who took the fatal attack.

Wooden remnants shattered around him.

His hair sprawled all over the ground, the bright colour dyed a deadly blackness . The scarf loosely wore around his neck now reduced to gray ash, all that was left a small piece of scaly cloth. Soaking all over the stream of hair was blood, vivid, red, hot blood, dampened the silky strands, thickened into a bland, matted mess.

She could help him. He was _no_ t going to die, not like this.

Without second thought, she lunged herself to him.

Sharp eyes bored at her, a spark lightened his blurry, dark orbs. Streams of redness ran down from his temple, tainting one eye bloody.

He opened his mouth, but the blonde pressed her shaky fingers on his lips.

 _He is not going to die._

Her trembling fingers forced the white bandage on his open wound, her palm pressed tightly on his chest.

He smiled weakly. _No_ , his lips whispered.

 _You are not going to die_ , she told him frantically, over and over again like a mantra, more likely to assure herself than him, _you are not dying on me, do you hear me?_

Natsu shook his head.

They were too far from Erza and Gray. There was just no way to bring him back...

She had never seen so much blood like this...

"You are not going to die."

His lips curled in a weak smile.

Blood was soaking the white bandage, staining it a bright red.

The salty smell of blood and tears and dust was filling her nostrils, and her vision could only make out broken walls and blood pooling around...

His eyes sparkled.

 _I'm sorry._

She stubbornly shook her head, but her eyes were getting hot and blurry...

 _Don't say that._

Her trembling lips crashed down on his, the faint taste of black coffee and cream and sugar was keeping her mind drunk and hazy...

Tears poured out uncontrollably.

He lay there, peaceful, his eyes closed, and she fearfully brought her ears down to his wrist.

No pulse.

Tears stung on her skin, some drops fell down his cold, pale lips.

A scream ripped her throat, and everything she could remember was the faint scent of black coffee, sugar and cream.

* * *

The sixth time, she could feel nothing.

Lucy closed her eyes, her face pressed against the cold stone. Small white snowflakes fell down slowly, tangling themselves in her loose golden strands.

Crystalline water traced her defined jaws, brushing her pale skin and teasing her lips.

She didn't feel cold.

A small droplet formed at the corner of her eye, but before it could even fall down, the harsh weather had already frozen it midway.

He didn't like his nakama getting hurt.

He didn't like _her_ crying.

But he wasn't here. He was six feet under.

Frost was starting to create delicate pattern on her smooth skin, and the faint scent of coffee tingling her nose.

Her face was pressed deeper against the tombstone, and a small scratch was cut across het cheek. Small bead of blood ran down, soaking her face.

She didn't feel hurt.

 _She didn't feel anything at all._

* * *

The last time she smelt it, she was blissfully hazy.

Her room was swimming around, furniture turning upside down and floating in the air.

The white powder sparkled slightly in dim light, and Lucy looked at it through blurred eyes.

She didn't remember having this in her room.

She didn't remember her name.

She didn't remember the pain.

She didn't remember anything at all.

Everything Lucy knew was the light, fluffy feeling running through her course. She was weightless. There was no more worry. No more tragic. No more sadness.

Just... being carefree.

She craved for it.

She craved for being able to actually _feel_.

Her fingers trembled as she traced the silver paper carefully.

It looked like sugar. White, powdery sugar. Sweet and addicting.

 _You can always eat the sugar and ditch that coffee if you like._

Her eyelids were heavy. She wanted to lie down, letting the darkness take her away.

It was peace. Eternal peace. Until she woke up again.

Lucy closed her eyes and thought she could still taste the bittersweet aftertaste of his coffee lingering on her lips.

* * *

 **So I just kill Natsu. And Lucy just died of drug overdose. Yep, I am sadistic like that.**

 **Anyway, review? Please?**


End file.
